


Drop Shot

by vivelarepublique



Category: Shoujo Kakumei Utena | Revolutionary Girl Utena
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/F, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-26 17:43:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19773241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivelarepublique/pseuds/vivelarepublique
Summary: A vignette set after the badminton scene in episode 37, in which Shiori confronts Juri about her new locket.





	Drop Shot

**Author's Note:**

> Drop Shot, Noun: A delicately hit shot (as in tennis or squash) that drops quickly after crossing the net or dies after hitting a wall (Merriam-Webster).

“You got a new locket.”

Juri turned to see Shiori standing, waiting for her in a hallway just off of the courtyard. She worried at the handle of her badminton racket, uncertain how to reply to the question masquerading as a statement, fitting for its ever innocent-looking inquirer. 

“I did,” Juri replied, keeping her tone light, light as the birdie that had flown through the air what seemed like moments before. 

“Why would you want _her_ photo?” Shiori kept her own tone light, but a certain something slipped through on the _her_ nonetheless.

A younger Juri would have feigned surprise, but at Ohtori, people always heard always saw things they weren’t supposed to. Of course Shiori would have heard the banter between the student council members and Utena Tenjou. 

“There is no locket,” Juri admitted after a moment of silence.

Shiori strode closer to her. “Why would you lie?” Her eyes seemed cold but Juri swore she could see her hands tremble. Or was that her own hands, her own damning tremor?

“Why shouldn’t I? You know me not to be as noble as others think. You know...” Juri stopped. Shiori stepped closer. Their faces were a couple birdies’ widths away from each other. Juri was reminded how much shorter the other girl was.

“I know,” Shiori repeated. She stepped away again and Juri felt something like relief.

But then Shiori twirled around, her hair shimmering in the twilight. When had it gotten so dark? 

“You make me sick, Juri-san.”

What could Juri ever say to that? Her grip on the handle tightened. “Goodbye, Shiori.” She went to turn to walk away, when Shiori spun back around, _Were those tears in her eyes?,_ and grabbed her arm. 

Neither girl said a word. Juri looked at the ground, anything to avoid looking in Shiori’s eyes. Shiori’s grip slackened as she stepped closer. Juri could feel the heat radiating from the smaller girl’s body in the cool evening air. 

Shiori’s hand came up to rest on the side of Juri’s face in what some might have called a caress. Juri felt her breath catch despite herself. Shiori’s dainty hand made its way along her jawbone, fingertips moving to lightly trace Juri’s lips. Juri was known for her cool demeanor, but it was taking all she had in her to not completely come apart at this hint of an intimate touch. She didn’t dare to move, hardly breathed. As if sensing Juri’s internal distress, the other of Shiori’s hands came to rest on her breast, just over her heart. 

“Your heart is racing,” Shiori said, barely a whisper. Her fingers moved from Juri’s lips, and before Juri could reply, invent some excuse, Shiori’s lips were on hers and all she could think about was how soft soft soft they were. Juri wanted to hold Shiori, to pull her close, but she dared not move. 

The kiss ended as suddenly as it had begun. No, Juri could not be disappointed, not at something that shouldn’t have happened, something she should never have wanted. All she wanted was to be free of these feelings, that was all, that is all, that is all that will be...

Shiori’s hand dropped from her chest and she stepped back away from Juri again, the light from a nearby lamp flashing in her violet eyes. “Goodbye, Juri-san.”

As Shiori retreated into the shadows of one of the school’s many archways, Juri realized the badminton racket had fallen out of her hand.

**Author's Note:**

> This snippet has been sitting in the notes on my phone for at least a year, and after the new Black Rose Saga musical, I feel compelled to throw more deliciously toxic Juri/Shiori angst into the fray. When I first wrote it, I thought it was too backwards for their characters at this point in the series, but now, while I do like to think the two of them get it together (individually, with much therapy) after the series, at Ohtori? That's never going to happen. While I wrote this before seeing Juriona (I'm pretty sure?) or Fuyuna's Shiori (for sure), it's a testament to their brilliant acting how I could see this sort of scene play out between the two of them on stage.


End file.
